Love On The Frontier (A Bounty Hunter's Tale) Book I

Chapter Fifteen |Diablo

'Cucuy'

New Mexico 1873

Clayton knew he had the woman the moment she set eyes on him. He wanted to take her then, and could have, but he needed to find Lena first. If he left her alone any longer he was sure she would wander off.

Clayton walked around the corner of the building, but did not find Lena where he had left her. He cursed under his breath, shaking his head. He should have known better than to leave her unattended for so long. 

He began searching around the town for her, eager to scold her once she was found. "Stubborn brat. I should have left you at the cabin where I found you," Clayton grumbled to himself.

He stilled when he finally spotted her. She was pressed up against a wall being practically devoured by some man in an alley. Everything in Clayton's body ignited in fury. He felt so much rage that he shocked himself. He has never been jealous for any woman, but seeing Lena being touched in such a way by another man caused him great distress.

Then man had one hand on Lena's breast and the other between her legs. He was thankful that she at least still had her clothes on. He marched over to her and then stopped when he realized that he recognized the man. He had a machete strapped to one hip and a pistol on the other. The side profile of his face was a dead giveaway. This was not just any man. He was Diego 'Diablo' Reyes.

"Well shit. . ." Clayton muttered.

He walked forward, making sure to be as stealthy as possible. Ned's gang had been somewhat upset at the loss of Bo, but if he killed Diego the gang would surely retaliate. Unlike Bo, Diego is a very valuable asset to their gang. If Diego was not such a homicidal maniac he would make one hell of a bounty hunter.

Clayton moved to stand behind Diego. Of course he did not even notice Clayton, since the man was too busy sucking on Lena's tongue. He had to move quickly and precisely because Diego would be a hard man to take down.

Quickly Clayton wrapped his arm around Diego's neck and jerked him backwards. Diego grunted as Clayton wound him into a tight headlock. Diego arms flailed around, but Clayton kept a firm hold. Diego was only a couple of inches shorter than Clayton and of similar muscular build so holding down Diego was not an easy task.

Lena gasped, looking at Clayton with fear and confusion. "What are you doing!?"

"Shut the fuck up, Lena!" Clayton hissed. 

Soon enough Diego's struggling ceased and his body went completely limp. Breathing heavily, he released Diego and his body slumped onto the ground.

"You killed him!" Lena covered her mouth in complete horror.

He wished it would be that easy. "He's just unconscious. He'll wake up soon so we need to get the hell outta here."

Before Lena could protest he yanked her down the alleyway and back into the crowd. He quickly located an inn and rushed over to reserve a room.

Once inside he tossed a sobbing Lena on the bed. He paced the room trying to calm himself. He was infuriated for several reasons: she could have been murdered and would have been if he had not got to her in time, the fact that she was all over this complete stranger, and that she wandered off in the first place. Most of all, he was angry at himself. He should have known better than to expect her to actually listen to a word he said.

Lena did not understand the reason for what had just occurred nor what she did wrong. Yes, kissing a stranger was maybe not the best decision, but she thought Clayton's behavior a little rash. Besides she was sure that he often did the same.

"Why would you do that? You could have killed him!" She sniffled. "He and I were just--"

"I know very well what the fuck you two were doin'," he snapped at her. "Do you know who that man was, Lena?"

"H-he said is name was Diego." She shrugged. "That's all I kno--"

"Yeah, fuckin' Diego Diablo Reyes!" He shouted and then stopped to take a deep breath in order to calm himself. "He's Ned's Mexican gang member."

"I didn't know?Q How was I supposed to know that? You never tell me anything!" 

Clayton chewed on the inside of his cheek. She was right. He had failed to share any information about his plans on Danny Boy and his gang. "Ok. I apologize for that, but I didn't expect you to try and fuck one of the gang member.." Lena winced at his foul, sharp language. "The man is a nut case. Do you want to know what he does to the women he fucks?"

Not really, but she figured Clayton was going to inform her anyway. "He takes his machete, and cuts their pretty little heads clean off." Lena's eyes widened. "Oh that's not the worst part, sweetheart." Clayton continued, "After he's killed his victims, he bathes in their blood. He's even rumored to drink it. I hope you didn't tell him that you're a virgin because awfully keen on them."

Lena pictured the handsome Mexican who had kissed her so passionately as he whispered sweetly in her ear. She almost could not believe it.

"I didn't know who he was, I swear it!"

"It doesn't matter whether you knew who he was or not." Clayton exhaled a frustrated sigh. "Lena, you don't go kissin' a strange man in the back of building. What is wrong with you!? I had told you to stay put and you went far beyond my expectations of disobedience."

Why did he even care? He was eager to get rid himself of her every chance he had. Aside from that, he probably slept with strange women all the time. Why could she not do the same?

Clayton tossed his hat on the dresser and ran his fingers over his face. When he looked at Lena he saw nothing but a naïve girl, desperate for some kind of attention or distraction. Everything outside of Lena's home was new to her. She would have to learn one way or another. Being forceful did not seem to work, but that was all Clayton knew how to do.

"Lena, you need to realize that people don't give a damn about you. You can't trust anyone. The sooner you learn that the better off you'll be." She was nearly skinned alive by a mass murderer and she needed to understand the dangers of life.

"Okay! I get it..." Lena sniffled.

Clayton glared at her and said, "No, Lena, I don't think you do. Your parents were the last people who cared about you and now they're gone. They're not coming back and you need to move on. You can't spend the rest of your life grieving over them. You're so determined to avenge your parents death, yet you can't even take care of yourself. How are you going to kill a man like Boone Holiday when you were nearly hacked to death by Diego Reyes? Not everythin' is all flowers and rainbows, kid. Get over yourself and grow up. I'm done babysittin' you. You've done nothin' but cause trouble and get in my way."

Lena felt lower than dirt and she was tired of Clayton treating her as such, but what she hated most was that he was right. Who could she trust, really? Her parents kept her sheltered and so she knew nothing of the world. 

"How am I supposed to learn if you won't teach me?" Lena cleared her throat, squaring her shoulders. "This is all new to me so you're right to think me naïve and childish, but I have to learn someway."

"Fine," he agreed.

She looked at him in suspicion and surprise. "What do you mean 'fine'?"

"If that what you really want, I will teach you how to shoot, hunt, hustle, fight, and everything else you need to learn in order to survive. Under one condition; after all this shit is done and over with, so are we. You will go on your own way and I will go on mine. Got it?"

Lena couldn't hide her excitement. "Yes!".

Clayton gripped her shoulders, preventing her from embracing him."First things first. Stop with the touchin'. All this hugging makes you soft. You can't ever let people see you as soft."

She tried to push the pain of rejection away. "Yes, sir." 

He has his work cut out for him.